In a move that has sent shockwaves through the diplomatic corridors of London, Paris, and Washington, the US State Department has barred two prominent British campaigners from entering the country.1
The bans, targeting Imran Ahmed and Clare Melford, are part of a wider “visa war” against five Europeans accused by the Trump administration of seeking to “coerce” American tech giants into silencing free speech.2
The “Target List”: Who has been barred?
The State Department has labelled those affected as “radical activists” belonging to a “global censorship-industrial complex.”3
| Name | Role | Organisation | Nationality |
| Imran Ahmed | CEO | Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) | British |
| Clare Melford | CEO | Global Disinformation Index (GDI) | British |
| Thierry Breton | Former Commissioner | European Commission | French |
| Anna-Lena von Hodenberg | CEO | HateAid | German |
| Josephine Ballon | CEO | HateAid | German |
The Case Against Them
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claims these individuals have used “extraterritorial overreach” to target American speech.4
- Imran Ahmed: Accused of being a “key collaborator” with the previous Biden administration to “weaponise” the government against US citizens.5
- Clare Melford: Accused of using US taxpayer money (via grants) to “blacklist” American press outlets that her organisation deems to be spreading disinformation.6
- Thierry Breton: Described as the “mastermind” behind the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates content moderation—a move US conservatives view as state-sponsored censorship.7
A Diplomatic Firestorm
The move has triggered a furious response from European leaders, who see it as an attempt to bully sovereign nations into abandoning their own internet safety laws.8
The French Response: President Emmanuel Macron called the move “intimidation,” stating that European digital sovereignty cannot be dictated from outside the continent.9
The UK Response: A government spokesperson said the UK is “fully committed” to free speech but notably defended the work of groups trying to keep the internet free from “the most harmful content,” such as child abuse and incitement to violence.10
The Campaigners’ Defiance:
A spokesperson for Melford’s GDI called the sanctions “un-American” and “an authoritarian attack.”11 Meanwhile, Ahmed—who reportedly has an American wife and child and could face deportation from his US base—has previously stated his work to fight online hate is more vital than ever.12
Why Now? The Elon Musk Factor
The timing of the bans follows a year of high-profile clashes between these campaigners and Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter).13
- Musk previously branded the CCDH a “criminal organisation.”14
- Earlier this month, the EU fined X €120m (£105m) over its blue-tick verification system—the first major fine under the very laws Breton helped create.15
What Happens Next?
The European Commission has warned it will “respond swiftly and decisively” to protect its regulatory autonomy.16 Analysts suggest this could be the first shot in a larger trade and tech war, with the US potentially targeting other European firms like Spotify or Siemens in retaliation for EU tech regulations.17
